Chapter 11 The Graveyard

A/N: Quick update but if anyone is fan of The Walking Dead then you know where I got the idea for this chapter. And all you Dead fans October 14th can't come fast enough. I flipped out seeing the four minute trailer I was like OMG, OMG. Season three is going to rule. But I got lucky I get to go to Halloween Horror Nights and they got Walking Dead there so that should hold me through. ZOMBIES. No Zombies in this chapter but maybe later…we'll see. But this chapter is the first look at real danger and show that shits getting real and that our group will have to ban together. They're going to be fighting the apocalypse the worse one yet.

When everything turns to black
You don't know where to go
You need something
To justify your soul

Silence is broken
Confidence is gone
Everything you're holding on to
Falls

All the people selling truths
On every corner now
The wait until the fear
Has knocked you down

All the rules are changing now
You're living in sin
Everything around you is caving in
All you're holding on to
Slipping like water through your hands

And you sing
La la la la X3
Ya you sing
La la la la X3

Far off in the distance
Somewhere you can't see
Allegiances have formed your destiny
Opposition all around
Feeding off your soul
Trying hard to swallow up you whole
And the demons all around you waiting
For you to sell your soul

They're singing
La la la la X3
They're singing
La la la la X3

Oh la la la la la X2

They're singing
La la la la X3
They're singing
La la la la X3

Sleeping and resting by day was hard for the group but it was the only way to travel. They kept off major roads of course avoiding people and demons. They weren't sure how bad things were getting but the focus was LA. It had to be LA and they had to find something there. The sun had set and the group traveled and in the Jeep Angel, Buffy, Dawn and Connor were quiet. Angel was leading the caravan and Spike was in the back making sure nothing was following them.

They were on a road that was clear but then Angel could see it up ahead cars a number of them too. Buffy leaned forward seeing the cars too. They weren't moving cars either. Angel slowed down a little as he got the Jeep closer.

"What's happening dad?" Connor asked as he looked out the windshield. Angel slowed down and stopped the car and looked to Buffy. This wasn't good. They had a clear path but not now.

"Now what?" Dawn asked.

"Stay in the car." Angel ordered and got out and Buffy watched him like a hawk as he went to Giles' van with Willow, Kennedy, Faith and Xander. Attached to the van was a mini trailer with weapons and food and some fuel. Giles rolled down the window looking to Angel. "We're going to try and see if there's a path way just follow close ok." Giles nodded and he went to tell Spike the same thing and headed back to Jeep and got in.

"What are we doing?" Buffy asked.

"See if we can get through." Angel answered and Buffy nodded but she didn't like it and Angel started the Jeep back and was off. So far there was a path as they moved through it. Buffy looked out the window and the cars on the road were empty. Buffy thought that was odd. Maybe the people got out and went by foot or ran from something. Angel drove slowly trying to find a path wide enough to get through and so far it was working. Buffy wished they could travel in the daylight hours because you could see better. But she needed Angel and Spike on this one. Giles drove slowly following Angel and Xander looked at the map seeing if there was an alternate way.

"Maybe we should turn back and look for something else." Xander suggested and Willow nodded in agreement.

"If anything we can drive on the median right?" Willow asked and it was possible but the median was grass and dirt. The Jeep could handle it that's what it was built for and that's why Buffy had it. But the van with a trailer attached and motorcycle they weren't built for the off road. Willow didn't get an answer as Xander studied the map.

Spike hated to drive slow but it was needed to navigate through the mess. As he drove he sniffed the air trying to pick up anything that could be alive or dead. But there was nothing in the air. Angel drove slowly and then their luck ran out as they came into a pile up of cars.

"Damnit," Angel muttered as he stopped the car. He looked to Buffy as he could tell she was thinking.

"Go around?" Buffy asked and Angel looked.

"The trailer might topple over." Angel answered and Buffy nodded.

"Then let's see if we can move the cars." Buffy suggested and Angel nodded and got out. "Take the shotgun." Buffy said and Angel reached over the dashboard and grabbed the shotgun as Buffy grabbed a rifle. Connor and Dawn got out of the Jeep with small pistols and followed Angel and Buffy. Spike parked the bike and got off as Giles, Xander, Willow, Kennedy and Faith got out of the van with flashlights and lanterns.

"Game over?" Spike asked as he lit up a cigarette.

"See if we can move the cars." Angel answered and Spike nodded blowing out some of the smoke.

"And if we can't" Faith asked as she held a crossbow.

"Might have to lose the trailer." Buffy answered.

"But we need it, it has food and," Willow started.

"I know," Buffy jumped in. "So we'll move the cars we'll try ok." Willow nodded no one wanted to lose the trailer as it had most of their gear.

"While that's happening I can try to find another road on the map." Xander suggested.

"Point of no return I say." Spike started and Giles nodded. "Stay on this heading don't want to back track and get lost."

"Well best get started don't want to be sitting here for too long." Giles chimed in.

"No one wonders off alone," Buffy reminded everyone as the lanterns and flashlights lit the dark and bleak road. "Connor," Buffy looked to her son and pointed to her eyes and to him. "Eyes where I can see," Connor nodded and then she looked to Dawn. "Same with you." And Dawn nodded. Willow got back into the van to wait and look up some spells that could aid them.

"While we're here I say we gather some extra supplies." Xander added and Spike nodded and Buffy looked to them and Xander shrugged.

"This is a graveyard guys," Buffy stated. "We touch nothing." And then Buffy went to Giles as Connor and Dawn explored and stretched their feet. Spike went to catch up with Angel to see what could be done. The two vampires looked at the cars and then Angel climbed on top of them to see how long the buildup was.

"Well Peaches?" Spike asked and Angel jumped down.

"If we pop the cars into neutral I think we can run them off the road." Was the plan as of now and Spike nodded.

"How long will that take?" Spike asked.

"Everyone takes a car maybe an hour." Angel answered and a plan was set. The two vampires began to talk it out on how to get each car aside as they headed back to the caravan. Up on top of the van Giles was scouting making sure they were the only ones out here. Buffy saw Angel and Spike coming back and they looked please so a plan had to have been made. "Everyone will get a car and we pop them into neutral." And Buffy nodded as it sounded solid.

"We'll round up the others." Spike said and the two vampires went to find everyone else. Buffy stood there as Giles looked out. He liked these night vision binoculars. He put them up to his eyes to look and saw something. It wasn't human at all it was a creature of some kind. It looked like it walked on high legs with long lanky arms, a snout like a wolf. Giles snapped his fingers and Buffy looked up and he pointed. Buffy looked in that direction and held up her gun and looked through the lens and saw it. She had her finger on the trigger ready to fire but then something else caught her eye. Another monster just like it came around and then another and then another. Through the binoculars Giles saw a horde of them.

"Oh shit," Buffy whispered.

"Buffy!" He yelled in a loud whisper.

"Giles get down!" She yelled back in the loudest whisper she could and the Watcher did and she ran back. Angel heard something and saw Buffy running towards him and he knew it wasn't good. "Everyone under the cars now! Kill the lights!" Buffy ordered and the two vampires did what they were told. Buffy kept running snapping her fingers and Faith and Xander looked up. "Down now! Shut the lights off!" She order and they searched for a car to roll under. She saw Kennedy but the slayer didn't need to be told and rolled under a car and turned her flash light off. Then Buffy saw Connor and Dawn. "Under the cars now!" And Connor nodded and he and Dawn crawled under turning off the lanterns. Buffy then rolled under a car and laid there as she could hear the demons getting closer. Angel looked and saw their feet seeing the sharp claws on each toe. All Angel could think about was Buffy and Connor hoping they were ok.

Buffy laid still seeing the demons' feet move along and they didn't notice them. Buffy looked across the way and saw Xander and Faith together. She went through mentally where everyone was. Giles was on top of the van, Angel and Spike were in front of her and she could see them. Beside her a few cars over were Xander and Faith and then just a car down was Kennedy. At Buffy's feet were her son and sister…Willow. Where was Willow?

Willow was in the van half asleep. She hated this traveling at night and reading made her fall asleep. Willow woke herself up and her eyes widen as she saw the demons walking. Some walked on their back legs others on all fours. Willow then raced and got down to the floor of the van and curled up as small as possible hoping she wasn't seen.

Buffy couldn't help but close her eyes as she heard the demons walking by. She even covered her mouth to hide her heavy breathing. Connor had his hand around Dawns mouth to keep her whimpers down as well. Kennedy had her ears covered and her face down not wanting to look. Xander and Faith just prayed the horde would keep walking and not notice them. Buffy, Dawn and Faith have faced many demons why now were their hearts racing like this was their first encounter? Why were they in so much fear? These were demons straight out of Hell, true demons with real power and ruthlessness. They could kill these demons but not easy like the typical demon. These demons made even a slayer's heart race and two powerful and old vampires show more respect.

Angel just picked a spot to focus on and waited. Spike watched the road as he saw the feet of demons walking. Willow huddled waiting and she felt very dark feeling them. They were truly evil and if this was a sign of things to come, the type things they would be fighting in LA she didn't how they would be able to do it. Buffy opened her eyes and still the feet were moving but so far so good. She literally held her breath hoping they would just go on their way. Giles laid flat on the van looking to the stars.

Spike then nudged Angel and Angel looked over as the feet disappeared the horde was ending. Buffy saw the amount decrease too but it didn't mean anything there could stragglers and even if they were going away they had to wait awhile making sure they were long gone. After a few more moments Buffy looked around feeling the danger was subsiding. She slowly rolled out from under the car being careful just in case. While Buffy looked for any signs of these demons Willow slowly got up and looked around. She crawled back into the seat and slowly opened the van door and stepped out. She needed to find the others she took a few steps back and then hit something. She turned around and the demon got on its high legs and swiped at Willow. Willow fought hard not to scream and jumped back. Just as the demon went to swipe again its neck snapped and it fell to the ground. Willow looked up and Kennedy was standing there and held out her hand and Willow took it and they hugged.

Buffy came out from the car looking frantically ready to fight. The others came out and she saw Angel, Connor and Dawn she relaxed a little. Angel didn't even think and he just rushed to Buffy. Even though he saw her he still needed to hold her just to be sure. He then saw Connor and Dawn coming back over as everyone regrouped. Giles came down from the van and came over. Buffy did a head count and everyone was here and alive.

"What the hell was that?" Xander asked as everyone was shaken and shaking.

"I don't know." Buffy answered.

"Giles what were those?" Xander needed to know and Giles was clueless.

"I-I don't know," Giles stammered as everyone looked around in the dark. Angel and Spike saw perfectly in the night and they saw nothing at this point. Faith turned on a lantern so everyone could see each other.

"How about we get the hell out and not find out." Faith suggested and no one disagreed. Buffy then noticed when she breathed she could see her breath and finally realized it was cold, colder than it should be. Angel could see it in her face something had the slayer unnerved. He was rattled himself. These things were true legions of Hell. If this was a sign of things to come he was truly scared. Being a slayer she knew if it dropped temperature it meant something was unholy and pure demonic.

"Can't back track now." Spike reminded everyone and they needed to move forward.

"But removing all those cars," Willow started.

"We won't we take our chances with the van and trailer still attach." Buffy finished and Giles nodded. "Drive up into the median and as soon as possible get off of it."

"And what if that fails?" Xander asked. "Then what?"

"We'll salvage what we can and move on." Angel answered and Buffy nodded. "Now let's get the hell out of dodge." And the vampire started to walk.

"I heard that." Faith agreed and they headed back to the cars and got in.

"Well that was fun," Buffy commented as she got back into the Jeep. "Get us out of here." She was completely shaken they all were. Those things sucked whatever life was around them and what hope was left and then left them with nothing but pure fear.

"Why can't we just spend a normal day together?" Angel asked as he started the Jeep and backed up a little and drove onto the median and Giles followed him and Spike followed the van. Spike looked behind to the black night making sure nothing was following them. The median wasn't so bad not for the Jeep and Buffy kept looking back making sure Giles and the van hauling the trailer was ok and so far so good. She then looked to Connor and Dawn and they were just as pale as Angel. That wasn't something they were prepared for. But they had to get over it and fast because that is what was awaiting them in LA. But this just proved that LA wasn't a straight shot and Buffy knew they would be running into more things worse than that soon. It was far from being over it was just getting started.

And one more time can't wait for The Walking Dead as you can tell so pumped for it. Yes I know I'm a geek but I thought that scene worked for this. And the song yes it's from the new season of The Walking Dead trailer and again it fits with this too. So what's next? Guess you'll have to see. Willow had a close call but next time she might not get so lucky. Is that hint…not saying anything and you can guess, ask me questions and beg for hints and clues but not giving in. Like the last chapter yes I will be killing people because this is the end, this isn't my typical fairytale happy story this is real.

Like what if our group had to face something like this what would they do, how do they handle with just the clothes on their backs? How can they come together in someone's hour of need? Can Angel and Buffy be the center and can that center hold? Can their love hold them together? Can the friendship that began in high school for Buffy, Willow and Xander hold and keep them strong? Can Buffy, Faith and Kennedy fight as sister slayers? Will Giles' knowledge help this group? Will his father like instincts and his love for Buffy help? What if that father, the only father Buffy ever knew was gone? Will Buffy and Dawn be able to hold on when things truly start fall apart? What about Connor? And then Spike? So many questions. Who dies? Will they even make it to LA and stop this? I'll answer them you'll just have to read. So far from the start of Buffy to now ten soldiers have fallen not including the slayers. That number will start to increase. More to come reviews and comments are welcomed thanks for reading.

Song- Black sung by Kari Kammil

Fight the dead. Fear the living.